Reasons for Treatment

You may consider treatment for any of the following reasons:

  • A change in performance
  • A change in behavior or normal habits, such as resistance, napping or bucking
  • A reluctance to perform or complete normal activities
  • Stiffness/soreness
  • Signs of discomfort – including flinching, tail swishing and dipping away whilst grooming
  • Uneven pressure from the saddle
  • Muscle atrophy or uneven muscle development
  • Stiffness on one rein
  • Disunited canter or struggling to collect
  • Difficulty in lengthening strides
  • Feeling unlevel behind or inability to stand square
  • Excessive or uneven shoe wear
  • General maintenance – including pre or post season treatments
  • Slips or falls – whilst ridden, turned out, jumping etc. 
  • Repetitive work – can cause areas of the body to become stiff and sore
  • High intensity work – Hunting horses are often ridden for hours, during competition they’re asked to perform at a high level.  As with our own bodies it feels great to have treatment to release tension.
  • Tack – especially saddles, can cause areas of discomfort 
  • Dental discomfort – can affect head carriage are therefore alter the way the horse moves and uses his/her body
  • Eating habits – for example eating from a haynet from the same position constanly, eg twisting to left or right  
  • Compensations arising from lameness – A change in weight distribution during lameness may have caused stiffness/soreness elsewhere.
  • Body Conformation – The horse we have may not always be ideally suited to/built for  the discipline we choose, although performing very effectively it may cause more strain on the body
  • Foot Conformation – Uneven distribution of weight through the legs can put extra strain on the body
  • Breeding – Carrying foals and or traumatic births can be a cause of misalignments, as can the demands faced by stallions at stud. 
  • Rider – Just carrying a rider causes more ‘work’ for the horses body, but rider misalignment, weight and ability can alter the horses movement and cause compensations. In effect the horse can cause a rider to have a bad back, but the rider could also cause the horse to have a bad back.  

A correctly aligned horse and rider is ideal for reaching maximum potential, but is also best for the comfort of everyone involved.